Steam deflector



Dec. 18, 1923.

' F. B. CHURCH STEAM DEFLECTOR Filed Sent. 6. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w MEDGE IN VENTOF! ATTURNEY Dec. 18, 1923. 'nmww F. B. CHURCH STEAM DEFLECTOR Filed Sent. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm} llll p U J INVENTOR fwaw E I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 18%, l@23.

@IFFILQa FRANK B. CHURGH, OF SAN JGSE, CALIFORNIA.

STEAM DEFLECTOE.

Application filed September 6, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. FRANK B. Censor-r, acitizen of the United States, and resident of San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Steam Deflectors, or". which the following is a speck fication.

My invention relates particularly to means for forming a steam vapor blanket in an oil tank to smother flames on the sur'tac. of the oil therein.

It is the object of my invention to provide a means arranged in an oil tank and vertically adjustable therein by means extending therefrom, whereby a blanket of steam or vapor may be quickly spread over the surface of the oil in the tank without intermingling therewith.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section thro gh an oil tank equipped with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view at 3.2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view at 33 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 is an oil tank with the oil level indicated at 2.

Parallelly arranged in spaced relation to each other and in a vertical plane passing through the axis of the tank, are guides 3 3 set in footings l l and beams 55 which also support connecting rods 6-6 and are mounted on tank 1 as shown.

Midway between beams 55 and revolubly mounted on rods 66 are sheaves 'Z Z. over which pass cabl s 88. Cables 8-8 pass over sheaves 99 on the tank 1 and carry weights as 1010 respectively. The inner ends of cables 88 are attached to opposite sides of an annular disc 11 made of any suitable highly fusible material. Di c 11 carries a diametrically arranged bar 12 provided with orifices 13-13 adapted to slidably engage guides 3-8. A weight 14: is attached to disc 11 as shown so that the same may counterbalance the weights 101O thereby permitting the ready vertical adjustment of the said disc.

At 15 is shown a pipe terminating in the upper portion of tank 1 directly over the Serial No 493,772.

center of disc 11 and directed toward said center. This pipe 15 extends out of the tank 1 and is connected to any suitable steam or vapor pressure system fitted with a. suitable valve not shown.

The operation of the device is as follows, assuming the tank 1 to be supplied with oil up to the level 2 and that the oil having caught tire its whole surface is aflame.

The disc 11 is first raised or lowered as the case may be to a point contiguous to the surface of the burning oil. Steam under pressure is then turned into pipe 15 and discharged therefrom against the center ot the upper surface of disc 11. The impact of the steam against the resisting disc causes it to spread laterally in every direction, flowing out and to ming a blanket over the whole surface of the oil, entirely cutting off the supply of oxygen necessary to support combustion, and consequently smothering the flame and extinguishing the fire.

It is to be understood, of course, that any suitable fire extinguishing fluid may be used and that any suitable mechanism for raising or lowering the disc 11 may be used... it being further understood that changes in form. proportions, construction and method of operation may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. The combination of an oil tank, a diffusion plate arranged in the center thereof and movable along the axis thereof, counterbah ancing means for said plate arranged on the exterior of said tank whereby the plate may be moved to a plane adjacent the surface of the contents of said tank, and means for discharging a vapor against the upper surface of said plate.

2. The combination of an oil tank, spaced and parallel beams arranged across the upper portion thereof, spaced vertical and parallel guides connecting said beams and the bottom of said tank, a diffusion plate slidably mounted on said guides, counter balancing means attached to said plate and arranged on the exterior of said tank. and means for discharging a vapor against said plate.

FRANK B. CHURCH. 

